Night Hunters
by LadyKayoss
Summary: Chapter Three Revised! Is there a new menace hunting Balamb Garden, or is Rinoa losing her mind? Two years after Dark Legacy.
1. Shattered Dreams

Disclaimer:  All characters are the property of Squaresoft.

 Author's Note:  Sorry to have to subject you to a rewrite, but I didn't like how the original version was going.  I couldn't motivate myself to write it, and I didn't have any real idea of what I was doing next.  The major plot points of the story remain the same, however.  And, just to warn you, this version is gory, so if you don't like that sort of thing, I apologize.

NIGHT HUNTERS

Part One

Shattered Dreams

No moonlight escaped the heavy cloud covering; nothing that could reflect off the oily black fur or glistening fangs.  The creature was one with the night, one with the shadows that had birthed it.

Balamb was a ghost town this late at night.  No people walked the cracked streets.  The wind moaning through the streets could be the whispers of the dead.

Flitting from shadow to shadow, the creature stalked the dark alleyways, nostrils aquiver as it sought prey.

_There!  _The malodorous stench of garbage wafted towards the creature, intermingled with the scent of humanity.  A flick of one sensitive ear caught the scrape of leather on stone, and the creature silently oriented on the sound, burning eyes locking on its prey.

_She felt the roar of blood in her ears, the pounding of her heard in anticipation.  Saliva dripped from her lips as she imagined the sweet taste of meat on her tongue..._

Sharp eyes made out the vague shape of a rag-clad figure rifling through a dumpster.  It stank of sickness and rot, but it was still meat.

_Her eyes watered at the strength of the odor; she could almost taste it.  But she was hungry, so hungry, and lone humans that wouldn't be missed were nearly impossible to find._

Eyes that flickered in their depths stared unblinking at the homeless man, and the creature took a step forward, carefully keeping its claws raised above the ground to keep any sound from betraying it.

The man suspected nothing until razor claws tore through his left bicep like butter, and yanked him around.  The man's eyes widened at the near-invisible assailant, and he opened his mouth to scream.

The creature slammed its head into the man's chest, and he fell to the ground with a wet gasp, breath knocked from his lungs and several ribs shattered.

_She stood above the man, staring down at his frightened face.  Blood flecked his lips, and she ran her tongue along them, savoring the taste, her body quivering in ecstasy._

The man's gasps were becoming louder.  It wouldn't be long before he could cry out.  The creature forced the man's jaws open, then gripped the tongue with its claws.  With a powerful tug, it ripped the tongue free.  It swallowed the chunk of meat, then thrust its muzzle into the man's mouth and lapped up the blood.

_She shivered as the hot fluid slid down her throat, filling her stomach.  The feeding gave her a sensual thrill, and she moaned in pleasure._

The creature could wait no longer; it inserted two claws into the hollow of the thrashing man's throat, and tore upward, peeling the skin from the man's face.  Gargling moans came feebly from the victim.  Lidless eyes stared at the beast in horror.

_More!  More!  She gobbled down the flesh ravenously, then licked her gums in satisfaction.  She was finally feeding, and she was going to gorge herself!  But she wanted to leave him alive as long as possible; dead meat didn't taste as sweet._

The eyes were next, pulled neatly from their sockets and eagerly gulped down.  Then the chest; the creature's claws slit the man from neck to groin.  The man's body stilled, but the shattered chest was still shallowly rising with every gasped breath.  The sickly scent of the organs mixed with the rank odor of urine rolled over the beast, but it was too lost in its feeding to care.

_She ate it...  all of it.  Blood dripped down her fur, clumping it into spikes.  She was careful not to let any drip on the pavement, however, using the ragged clothing to sop up whatever she missed.  She ate the man down to the bone, even after he finally died when she tore away his heart.  Her stomach was taut under her skin when she finally began to suck out the marrow, but she continued to feed, aware this could be her last decent meal in a long time, and that she couldn't afford to leave anything to find._

It even ate the bones, cracking them into fragments and swallowing them.  All that remained were the rancid, blood-soaked rags that it stuffed into the dumpster. 

Then it turned away without a backwards glance, seeming to vanish from sight as if it had never been real.

But the one who had experienced the kill with it as if in a dream knew it had existed.  Miles away, a woman woke up screaming.

*    *    *

Rinoa awoke with blood on her hands and a scream on her lips.  She was atop her bed, straddling a tattered comforter and the shredded remains of a feathered pillow.  She thrashed her body, struggling to escape the tangled web of her dreams.

At last, her vision cleared, and it was no longer the shadowed streets of Balamb she saw but her Spartan quarters in Garden.

She groaned and rolled off her bed, staggering as a wave of pain swept through her at the movement.  She glanced down at herself, seeing for the first time the blood that soaked her lower body.  _Oh, shit, _she thought. _Hyne, not another hemorrhage!  _She cast a Curaga on herself, healing the internal wounds inflicted during her forced labor two years ago.

She should see a doctor, she knew, but none had been able to help her so far.  She'd already suffered through surgery once when the doctors had first tried to put her back together.  She doubted they could help her now.

_This must have been the cause of my dream...  I hope...  _She stared down at her bloody hand, then moaned and pressed it to her aching head, smearing the blood across her face.  _I'm falling apart...  How much longer can I hold together?  These dreams... are they finally the sign of the madness everyone thinks has overcome me?_

_The dream...  _At the memory, the gorge rose in her throat, and she rushed to the bathroom and vomited.  Even her vomit was tinged red with blood, she noticed.  _Now what's wrong with me?_

She really should go see Dr. Kadowaki.  But it would do no good, she realized.  She didn't need a doctor to tell her she was dying.__

*    *    *

She didn't see the doctor the next morning.  She hurt, but no new problems manifested overnight.  Nothing to justify calling on the overworked Dr. Kadowaki.  Or so she told herself.

Instead, she limped to her favorite seat on the fountain. The other students avoided her, and she didn't blame them.  The stories of the half-mad sorceress that circulated the Garden were enough to frighten away anyone.

A hand touched her shoulder, and she started.  She tossed her hair, which had grown to waist length, out of her eyes and met the concerned face of Zell.  _Well, almost anyone..._

"Mind if I sit down?" he asked quietly, seating himself before she could respond.

Rinoa didn't reply, but she let her gaze slip down his lithe, lean form, noticing the improving muscle tone in the legs exposed by his shorts.  He had spent a year learning to walk again after an operation to repair his spinal cord.  Now, he was struggling to regain his original fighting form.  Like her, he'd been damaged, almost irreparably.  They'd become very close during their recuperation.

"What's the matter?" he asked her softly.  "You look worse than usual."

At least he was honest.  "D-do y-you know w-what d-day it is?" she whispered in the halting stutter she'd developed over a year ago.

His bright eyes widened, and a sympathetic expression crossed his face.  "Hyne, I forgot!  I'm sorry..."

"S'okay," she mumbled.  She stared listlessly down at the pool of water below her, the tranquil surface reflecting her dull features back at her.  _I look so... old.  _The face that gazed back had dark eyes permanently filled with pain, and a mouth curved into a perpetual frown.  Her dark hair, which had long ago lost its luster, shadowed a face etched with agony.

_Two years ago today..._  Rinoa leaned her head on the cool stone bench, her gaze never leaving the water in front of her.  _Why did it have to happen?  Why?_

Two years ago, her children had been ripped from her womb and stolen from her.  Her father had died in an agonizing fashion, and the bond that had existed so long between herself and the Guardian Force Angelo had been severed, leaving Rinoa a shattered, emotional wreck.  For two years, her friends at Balamb Garden had sheltered her, struggling to bring Rinoa back to her senses.  At the same time, they had begun a search for the sorceress who had done this, but to no avail.  It was as if Reya, the Lady of the Night, a sorceress of unknown power, had vanished off the face of the planet.

_Hyne...  Why can't it all get better?  _Rinoa still slipped into severe depression, and it was all her friends could do to persuade Rinoa to keep on living.  But now they seemed to be growing further and further from her...  Partly her fault, she knew.  It was so hard...

She supposed she didn't blame them for drifting away from her; after all, they were SeeDs, and they had a school to run and mercenary actions to coordinate, even if Balamb had fewer people than ever before.  It was getting harder to sustain the school with the smaller enrollment, and Balamb's gloomy reputation frightened away many potential clients.

And of course, Seifer and Quistis were busy with their month-old son.  Rinoa choked back the envy that washed over her, bringing tears to her eyes.  They were lucky...

"I'm going to the Training Center for a little exercise.  Wanna come?  Irvine and Selphie both have classes, and Quistis and Seifer are 'busy' again."  Zell rolled his eyes.  Rinoa almost smiled.  Neither of them - nor anyone else in Garden, for that matter - had expected the duo to be such doting parents.

"Qu-quistis c-couldn't f-fight anyway," Rinoa reminded him, remembering how long it had taken her own body to recover from birth.  Admittedly, she'd been a special case.

At the memory, Rinoa's shoulders slumped.  She stared down at the hands folded in her lap.  "I c-can't," Rinoa whispered.  Her voice was slightly hoarse from disuse.  She barely spoke to anyone, even her friends.  Zell got more out of her than anyone else.  "I d-don't f-feel up to it t-today."

Zell frowned.  "I'm sorry... It's stupid of me to ask, today of all days. Do you want me to stay with you?  I will, if you need me to."

"G-go on," she said.  "I w-want to be alone."

Zell got to his feet reluctantly.  "All right.  But if you need someone to talk to, or even just to be with you, just look for one of us, okay?  We're here for you."

"I know," Rinoa said.  She leaned over, brushing her reflection with her fingers, watching the image fracture and break.  _That's how I feel... Broken..._

*    *    *

Zell trotted towards the Training Center, grimacing at how his body still didn't respond with the strength and speed he'd had before he was attacked.  He would recover, his doctor in Esthar reassured him, but it would take time.  But patience had never been one of Zell's strengths; he wanted to regain what he had lost.

He wished Rinoa had come with him.  She had been his closest friend during his recovery; even when she'd been barely stable, he could rely on her to be there for him.  Privately, Zell thought she may have transferred some of her maternal instincts towards him.  Whatever it was, it had been good for the both of them.

Zell just wished he could help her in return.  When he'd been wheelchair bound, he'd done an extensive search via computer, trying to find any information about Reya, any clue to her whereabouts.  All he'd found were references to her traveling show, which seemed to have disappeared along with her.  While he and the others still continued to search, hope was fading.

And so was Rinoa...  Zell entered the Center, remembering Rinoa's lifeless face.  Ever since Squall had died, she'd been depressed, but now it was as though she were giving up on life.  _I won't give up on her...  We've all lost so much already!  We can't lose her, too!_

"Quit your daydreaming; there's a T-Rexaur around the bend," a voice from behind him suddenly warned.  Zell turned to the speaker.  He hadn't noticed anyone else on the path, so preoccupied was he with his thoughts.  He was grateful for the warning; even at full strength, he wouldn't have wanted to take on a T-Rexaur on his own.

"Thank you," Zell said as a young woman in a cadet uniform stepped from around the trunk of a tree.  Well, she was mostly in cadet uniform - she wore a pair of scuffed jeans in place of the uncomfortably short skirt the girls wore.  He met her eyes and smiled.

"I'm Hannah," the girl offered.  She looked to be about seventeen or eighteen, with short black hair and pale blue eyes.  She was tall, slim but well muscled, and armed only with a pair of daggers thrust into her boots.  She held a long-fingered hand to Zell, and he took it.

"I'm Zell," he said.  He hadn't seen her before, which was a surprise.  Balamb Garden rarely received new students any more, and Zell thought he'd met them all.  "You're new here, right?"

Hannah nodded.  "I transferred here from Trabia two days ago.  I heard Balamb was the best."

"Yes," Zell agreed sadly.  "It was."

"Most of the instructors here saved the world, I'm told," Hannah continued as if she hadn't heard the tragic note in Zell's voice.  "Too bad about all that's happened."

Zell frowned.  "You know what happened and still wanted to come?"  Most students, upon learning about the former commander's bestial transformation and rampage, immediately wanted transfer despite the fact that Squall was long gone.

"I'm not afraid."  Hannah drew her daggers, a sly grin teasing the corners of her mouth.  "Want to take on the T-Rexaur with me?  I'm not supposed to do it alone..."

Zell hesitated.  "All right...  But at the first sign of trouble, we flee, got it?  I'm a little rusty myself."

Together, they went to take on Balamb Garden's most fearful predator.

*    *    *

Rinoa stared down at her burger, watching the greasy blood flow down and pool around the bun.  She poked at it listlessly, wondering if she could choke the meal down.  _Bloody...  Just like my dream last night.  _She hadn't been able to eat well-cooked meat ever since her pregnancy, when she'd been forced to eat raw meat to sate her hunger.  The habit disgusted her, but she couldn't break it.  But at least she ate.  Occasionally.

She'd hoped to get through lunch quickly and get out of there before anyone took notice of her, but the clump of books being dropped on the table beside her told her she hadn't been quick enough.  "Is this seat taken?" a cool but polite voice queried.  Rinoa just shrugged, and the speaker took a seat beside her.  She didn't raise her head, but examined the other out of the corner of her eye.

Garen was a new student to Garden, having started about two months ago.  He was old for a student, almost eighteen, but he had enough talent to make SeeD by the end of the year, if he could just get through his courses.  He was arrogant and aloof from the other students, but seemed to be attracted to Rinoa.

When she'd mentioned this to Zell, he'd laughed at her and told her a little romance would be good for her.  And why _wouldn't _anyone be interested in her?  Rinoa was uncomfortable with the thought of having a suitor.  Zell was wrong; a half-mad sorceress wasn't a good match for anyone.  Garen was probably just enamored with the idea of becoming a sorceress's knight.  And she wasn't interested in anyone, anyway.  She didn't want to start a relationship that was doomed to end tragically.

She had to admit, though, Garen was cute.  With his tousled black hair and icy blue eyes, he was one of the best looking males at Garden.  And his attitude was so much like Squall's...  Sometimes, he really was hard to resist.

"How are classes going?"  Rinoa spoke slowly, concealing the stutter.  She was only secure enough not to hide her affected speech around her closest friends.

"They're torture.  Why do I need to know all of this, anyway?  History, science, social studies...  I'm here to fight."  Garen glowered at his pile of books.

Rinoa smiled slightly.  "It's part of the job to know what we're getting in to.  We don't want our alliances to further cause problems.  It's all politics."

"Oh," Garen grunted dismissively.  "So, are you doing anything today?"

Rinoa picked up a burger and took a bite of the cold meat and soggy bun.  "Evading the question, are we?" Garen said with a smile.  "I can take the hint."

"I'm going to Balamb," she said, after slowly chewing her mouthful.  She hoped he wouldn't ask why.  She didn't want to explain that she was going because of a dream...  And he might try to stop her.  She was going to have to take a load of painkillers just to make the trip, which was why she wasn't going to ask permission.  She'd have to steal the car to go, but it would be worth it to put her mind at ease.  _Was the dream real?  Did I..._

Garen wasn't one to pry.  He turned to his sandwich and opened up one of his books.   Just then, Zell caught up with them.  The excited blond had seemed more riled up than usual after his Training Center exercises, and Rinoa was intrigued.  

"I fought a T-Rexaur," he blurted out, eyes shining.

"Alone?"  Rinoa was torn between chastising her friend and congratulating him.  "That's dangerous."

"Not alone," he admitted.  "With... her."  He pointed to a young woman waiting in the lunch line.  "That's Hannah.  She's new here - just transferred from Trabia.  She fights very well."

Rinoa arched a brow.  "So it would seem, if you two took on a T-Rexaur."  She toyed with her burger again before forcing herself to take another bite.  Now that he'd seen she was eating, Zell wouldn't leave the table until she had finished the contents of her plate.  "She's cute," Rinoa said slyly.

Zell looked embarrassed.  "I'm not interested..." he began, but just then, Hannah caught his eye.  She flashed him a wide smile, and showed him the two platters of hot dogs she'd purchased.  

"Zell," Hannah said warmly, when she reached the table.  "That was a wonderful battle.  We should do it again some time."

Zell blushed, and Rinoa's eyebrows rose further.  "It wasn't much..." he said modestly.

"Don't be so modest," Hannah said.  Then she frowned.  "But why didn't you let us finish off the T-Rexaur?  We had it..."

"It's the mating season, and that was a female.  We don't kill them when they're in season.  We had to let her go.  Since we're here, I'll make some introductions," Zell said quickly.  "This is Garen."

"I know him," Hannah said.  

"Oh?" Zell asked, sounding suspicious.  Rinoa hid a smile.  _He's got it bad..._

"She's my twin sister," Garen told them, without looking up from his book.  

Rinoa blinked.  She hadn't realized Garen had family.  Though now that she looked at them, it was obvious they were related.  With their black hair and blue eyes, they were a matched set.

Then Zell turned to Rinoa.  "This is my friend, Rinoa Heartily," Zell said.  The smile seemed to freeze on Hannah's face.

"You're Rinoa?"  Hannah asked tightly.  The hand she'd extended to shake Rinoa's fell limp at her side.  "I've heard a lot about you," she said coolly.

"Oh?"  Rinoa said softly.  When no more seemed forthcoming, Rinoa turned her attention to her food, and Hannah began to discuss fighting techniques with the oblivious Zell.

Her puzzlement over Hannah's curious attitude towards her was forgotten as Seifer and Quistis entered the cafeteria.  Quistis carried her son in her good arm, and Seifer had his arm over her shoulder.  The sight tore at Rinoa.  _If only that were Squall and I...  _Tears welled in her eyes.  Suddenly, she'd lost her appetite.

"I have to go," Rinoa whispered, pushing herself from the table.  Zell seemed about to protest, then stopped when he saw her face.

"Do what you have to," Zell said, his voice sad.

Rinoa rushed out of there before her sobbing became uncontrollable.  _Won't things ever get better?_ she thought miserably.

*    *    *

Rinoa shivered and pulled the long coat closer around her slight form.  The wind coming off the ocean had a chill to it, and Rinoa hastened down the streets as fast as her lame leg could take her, trying to keep warm.  Her head darted back and forth as she scanned around for the alleyway from her dream.

It can't be real.  It can't be.  And so what if I do find the alley?  I've been to Balamb many times; it could just be my memory that made the dream so vivid.  And I've seen enough blood in the past few years to make that part detailed…

She caught site of an alley behind one of the few restaurants in Balamb that was still open.  It had to be the right one; she recognized the cracked window nearest the alley.  _That still doesn't mean anything._

Taking a deep breath, Rinoa stepped into the shadowy alley.  The solid walls cut off the wind, and she sighed with relief.  Then she moved forward, deeper into the site of her nightmare.  It was difficult to tell, once inside, if it was indeed the same alley.  Everything had been coated in darkness, and she'd been too busy to take in the details of her surroundings.

She went to the dumpster first.  She pulled herself up with difficulty and peered inside.  The rank odor of garbage made her eyes water, but she forced herself to look.  There was nothing, not even bags of garbage.  They'd already emptied the dumpster.

Would the garbage men have noticed the bloody clothing and alerted the authorities?  Or would they have just dismissed it, assuming they saw the clothes at all?  That is, if the clothes had even been there, and weren't just a product of Rinoa's dreams, as she hoped.

What did the dream mean?  She'd had some savage dreams ever since Squall's transformation, but last night's had been like no other she'd ever had.  It was as if she'd been the werewolf…  But that wasn't possible.  She wasn't the same person she had once been, but she wasn't a monster.  

Right?

The blood's intoxicating aroma teased her nostrils, and she yearned for more.  Its sweetness was a taste to be savored, an addiction she had to satisfy.

Rinoa could almost taste the blood on her lips, warm and fresh as if she'd just drunk it from a living body.  The need for it swept through her, and her legs buckled as she suddenly felt weak.  Rinoa stumbled forward, catching herself against the brick wall.  She scraped her hand and blood welled from her palm, and the scent of it almost drove her wild.

It was better than love, better than sex, this feeling of killing and eating.  There was nothing like the satisfaction of hunting down your prey and tearing it apart with your own claws and teeth, and savoring the taste of victory.

"Oh, Hyne," Rinoa whimpered when she realized she'd licked the blood from her hand.  The gorge rose in her throat, and she threw up.  She slid down the wall and crouched in the shadows, tears sliding down her face.

"Excuse me, miss?" a voice called softly.

The blood slid down her throat with chunks of raw meat and bone.  She closed her eyes in ecstasy, red-tinged saliva dripping down her jaws and onto the raw hamburger of the man's chest.  His heart beat rapidly under one paw, as if it would burst.  That wouldn't do; she decided she'd take that next, before it destroyed itself.

"Miss?  Are you all right?"  A hand touched Rinoa's shoulder, and she nearly lashed out blindly as the dream drew her back in.  "Do you want me to call a doctor?"

The heart tore free with a wet snap, and the body stilled beneath her.  This was what made the hunt worthwhile, this chunk of meat that was so vital to a person.  There was nothing quite like swallowing the still-beating organ and making it part of herself.

The shaking on her shoulder became more insistent, and Rinoa snapped abruptly out of her trance-like state.  She turned to face the concerned young man standing over her.  He wore the outfit of one of the restaurant's cooks, and he had a garbage bag beside him.  "Huh?" she asked thickly.

"I asked if you need a doctor," the man said.  "Are you all right? Can I help you?"

"I…"  Rinoa struggled to get her feet under her, and the man assisted her.  "I-I've b-been s-sick," she managed, unable to control her stutter.  "I-I'll b-be all r-right."

"Are you sure?  You don't look so good," the man protested.

"I-I just n-need to g-get h-home.  I-I'll b-be f-fine."

The man looked doubtful, but he let Rinoa stagger out of the alley after she'd refused his offer of a glass of water.  All she could think of was the horrifying vision she'd just had.  What did it mean?  Was she going crazy?  What if she began to believe she was a monster like Squall had been and actually attacked someone?

What if she already had?

No!  It was only a dream; the dream of someone who's been through too much and is finally losing her grip on reality.  Maybe Quistis is right; maybe I do need to get mental help.

As she reached the mouth of the alley, she abruptly halted.  Carved into the cement was a pair of long slashes, still fresh.  The parallel rips could have been made by the garbage men as they emptied the trash.

Or it could have been done by a powerful set of claws.

*    *    *

She was too restless to sleep that night, so Rinoa found herself on Garden's balcony, her eyes on the star-spangled sky.

_It would be so easy to jump...  end the pain... I've lost so much!  Squall, my father,  Angelo...  My children... My innocence...  Myself…  Who am I now? Am I mad?  My actions in the past month make even me wonder.  _Her grip tightened on the railing that was all that kept her from plunging to her death.  She studied her fingers a moment, wondering if she could pry them from their death grip and make that final plunge...

_But I can't...  _Her head lifted again, eyes on the distant horizon.  _My children are out there.  I have to find them!  And, if need be, avenge them... Maybe then I'll have peace._

A flash of movement caught her eye, and Rinoa turned in time to glimpse a shooting star, already fading from sight.  _How long since I last saw one of those?  Since Squall first kissed me?_  She hadn't searched for them in a long time but seeing one now seemed almost... ominous.

Rinoa sighed, brushing one hand, scarred by acid from a monster's attack, through her long hair.  _  It's just a star.  It doesn't mean anything.  I'm just on edge tonight.  Maybe I should go talk to Zell after all.  Or Garen… He'd love it if I went running to him._

She should certainly go speak to someone.  After all, she couldn't run and hide every time she saw Quistis and her new baby.  But she hadn't realized how painful it would be to see them happy...

She leaned her weight against the railing, wincing slightly as it brushed her abdomen.  _Some_ _pain never leaves... _ Would she even have the time to find her children?  If she was right, and she was dying, then she didn't have much longer.  Or she was descending into madness…  The vivid dreams could be a symptom of something seriously wrong with her.

_Where are you, Reya? I need to find you, now!  While I still can!  _She'd searched so long for the woman to no avail.  _Hyne, but I want to kill her so badly.  Kill her!  Kill!_

The strength of her last thoughts jolted her from her reverie.  She wanted to kill Reya, yes, but her feelings had surprised her.  The thought had been accompanied by a surge of anger and rage that was almost an echo of her thoughts rather than a part of them.

An echo?  Rinoa cleared her mind, concentrating on the elusive feelings that had momentarily manifested so strongly.

There!  Faintly, stalking the edge of her consciousness, was an aura that burned in her mind's eye; strange, yet familiar. _ No...  _When it realized she was aware of it, it vanished, leaving behind a howl that reverberated in her mind, fracturing into mocking laughter before fading away.

Hyne…  Please let that be a waking nightmare as well… 

*    *    *

The student shivered as he advanced through the darkened Training Center.  _This was a stupid idea, _Mero thought angrily as he tripped over a branch hidden in shadows, falling to his knees and tearing his cadet uniform.  But a dare was a dare, and if he wanted to prove to the guys he had what it took to be a SeeD, then he wasn't going to back down.

_But... going into the Training Center in the middle of the night?  What if I meet a T-Rexaur?  Or worse?  _Mero had heard the stories, of course, about Balamb Garden's former commander, and how he'd made a meal of many of SeeD's best officers.  It was whispered that he still roamed the corridors, devouring cadets who were too weak or cowardly to become one of the elite mercenaries.  Mero had laughed at the stories, but now... The twelve-year-old's imagination was working overtime, turning every whisper of noise into soft footsteps, or the scrape of claws on bark, or the rasp of breath through gleaming teeth...

_Stop that!  _All he had to do was circle the Center, stopping at the so-called secret area to leave a marker to show he'd been there.  He was nearly there...  Then he could get out of here.

He'd almost calmed himself when he tripped again, falling with a splash.  He swore, pulling his hands free from the sticky liquid before pushing himself to his feet.  _Probably fell in T-Rexaur piss..._

He froze before fully straightening.  He'd been vaguely aware of a dark shape in front of him, but had paid it no heed until his eyes caught the dull gleam of teeth grinning at him...

Releasing his breath with a whimper, Mero began to back away from the T-Rexaur's staring head.  _Why hasn't it attacked?_ he wondered distantly as he staggered sideways and into a wall of flesh.

Mero whirled to face this new attacker, his breath coming out in sobs.  _I'm doomed..._

But still there was no movement.  Mero reached one hand towards it, wondering.  Then, with a squishing noise, his hand sank into the flesh.

Now Mero screamed, yanking his hand loose and running.  It was a T-Rexaur, all right, but it had been dismembered!

Mero didn't want to meet whatever could tear apart one of the vicious beasts.  He didn't stop running until he was out of the Center, down the halls, and safely in his room.  And even then, he couldn't stop trembling.  He didn't get any sleep that night.

*    *    *

The creature watched Mero's flight with cold, calculating eyes, longing to leap from hiding and rend the child limb from limb but knowing that to expose itself now would ruin everything.

_Not now... not yet...  _It remained crouched in the bushes near its kill, where it had sat a mere hairsbreadth from the frightened child.  When its sensitive ears caught no sound of an investigation, it crept from its hiding spot, making no sound.

The beast turned back towards the carcass of the prey it had felled, content for now to nibble the spilled entrails.  Claws flashed, further opening the chest cavity.  Yes... This would do for now.  But soon, it could satisfy its hunger with human prey.

But only after the insane sorceress was out of the way.  She would be taken care of when the time was right.  _Soon…___

To Be Continued...


	2. Dangerous Game

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the FFVIII characters involved within; Squaresoft does.

Author's Note: This chapter must be bad luck; when I last uploaded chapter two, I was experiencing a hard drive crash.  It's happened again…  Also, revising is harder this time around.  I have so many more changes to make!  But it'll be worth it.  To me, anyway.  Chapter three will take time.  The changes in one and two mean I may have to completely rewrite three.  But I know what I want to do with it, unlike last time around.

NIGHT HUNTERS

Part Two

Dangerous Game

"Not again." Quistis's voice was a strangled whisper as she stepped through the puddles of blood and half-chewed organs spilled from the decapitated T-Rexaur. "Not another one. Not here." Her hand was rubbing the stump of her arm, and her face was pale. Her eyes looked huge behind her glasses.  "It must be the victim of another T-Rexaur; it has to be."

Rinoa's heart was in her throat as she took in the agonizingly familiar claw patterns in the monster's scaly flesh. She'd told Quistis what she'd felt, and a frightened student had come in the early morning to report the corpse. He'd seemed embarrassed and ashamed by his fear, and had admitted he hadn't seen anything that could have caused this.

Seifer was glaring at the body, as if he held it responsible for destroying his wife's happiness. "Are you sure that's what it was? Could it have been another one of these bastards? It's their mating season, right?" He prodded the head with a steel-toed boot, searching for clues.

"I f-felt it. It w-was the s-same," Rinoa said firmly. Her face was bloodless, but her expression remained strangely calm. She'd seen too much of this in the past few years…

Selphie and Irvine arrived then. They'd circled the Training Center, seeking more victims or the attacker itself, despite Rinoa's insistence it was another werewolf. They'd been checking all the T-Rexaurs, in case one of them had indeed been the killer. If so, then the attacking T-Rexaur would have received some wounds as well from such a violent battle.

"Nothing," Irvine reported. "No bodies, no footprints, nothing. In fact, we had trouble finding any of the creatures. They all seem to be in hiding.  Or mating," he said, a little enviously.  Selphie rolled her eyes.

"I've never seen a frightened T-Rexaur before," Selphie whispered. She'd covered her nose when the scent made her choke.

"What do you want us to do?" Zell finally spoke up.

"I'm not taking any chances; I'm going to close down the Training Center for today, and I want an armed clean-up crew in here. And I want patrols out tonight. If there is another werewolf here, it'll show itself after dark. Meanwhile," Quistis's face looked grim, "I'm going to do a headcount."

Rinoa's face was stony as she followed Quistis out of the Training Center. Zell was beside her, and he halted her with a light touch on her arm. "Maybe it's not evil," he said quietly. "This thing has only just shown itself, and all it's killed is a T-Rexaur. Maybe it's not murderous, just… different." Zell gave her a broad grin. "Maybe Reya's experiments went wrong, and one of them has escaped and come here. If we can find this person, maybe they'll help us stick it to the bitch and get your children back!"

Rinoa smiled weakly. It did make a sort of sense, she admitted to herself. It could be one of Reya's creations.  If it had been real at all…  But this time, the evidence was before her eyes.  Something had killed the T-Rexaur.

What if it this new werewolf was a spy, rather than an escapee? Or a rogue who wouldn't side with anyone? She'd felt the raw edge of the creature's emotions, and they hadn't been pleasant. The possibilities for disaster were limitless.

"Hyne," she moaned. "W-why c-can't this j-just l-leave us alone? H-haven't w-we s-suffered enough?"

* * *

"So far, so good," Quistis said. She was in her office, her infant son Sefrin asleep in a basket beside her. Rinoa, Zell, and the others were all there, preparing for the coming night. "None of the students were hurt and, with the exception of Mero, none of them even heard or saw anything suspicious. They're getting nervous, however, and rumors are spreading about this being more than just a T-Rexaur battle." Quistis smiled wanly.   "We can't tell them the truth; they'd panic and ruin our investigation.  But they've come close to guessing the truth."

"I checked Balamb," Rinoa said carefully. "No one has reported any strange deaths or sightings there, either. This thing must have been doing its hunting in the fields, or has only now just lost control."  The others looked at her strangely, clearly wondering when she'd had the time to investigate the town.

"Dr. Kadowaki says none of the students have been ill lately; not like Squall was," Selphie said.

"R-reya m-might have f-fixed that," Rinoa muttered.

"You think she's responsible, then?" Quistis asked.

"D-don't you?" Rinoa clenched her fists. "M-maybe this is a s-sign she's c-coming out of h-hiding."  The strength of her emotions made it impossible to hide her stutter.

"We'll be ready for her when she does," Irvine promised. "I've gathered all the ammo that's been infused with magic for tonight," he continued. "If that creature shows up tonight, we'll be ready for it."

"Don't kill it unless it's necessary," Quistis said, though it looked as if saying it pained her. She feared these werewolves as much as anyone else.  Quistis met Rinoa's gaze as she added, "It could be our lead to find Reya."

"I'll have the watches posted before nightfall," Quistis continued, careful not to betray her thoughts. "Get a nap while you can; you're all on duty tonight."  The SeeDs left obediently, though Rinoa lingered behind, casting Quistis and Sefrin an envious look.  Quistis's face hardened, and Rinoa quickly departed.

Zell met her outside.  "Are you sure about this?" he asked.  "Could it have been another one of your nightmares?"

Rinoa stiffened.  Had he guessed about her dream the other night?  He couldn't have…  he must have been referring to her earlier nightmares.  "I kn-know w-what I f-felt," she said firmly.  "It's another m-monster."

Zell looked uncertain, but shrugged.  "If you need anything…" he began.

"Z-zell," Rinoa said stiffly.  "G-go.  Go to h-her.  I know y-you w-want to."

Zell smiled ruefully.  "Is it that obvious?" he asked.  He needed no more urging; at Rinoa's light laugh, he hurried off to where Hannah must have been waiting for him.  Despite the girl's cold reception towards Rinoa, she believed a girlfriend would be good for Zell.  It would keep him from worrying about Rinoa all the time, at any rate.  _I think he must have been half in love with me…  This should get him off my back._

Especially since she had other things to worry about now.  _It wasn't a dream.  But I couldn't tell them the rest, about my nightmare of the homeless man's death.  They might think I was responsible…_

_And… what if I was?_

*    *    *

"You don't believe her, do you?"  Seifer's voice interrupted Quistis's thoughts.  The commander turned towards her husband, who had hung back from the crowd of SeeDs.

"Why do you say that?" Quistis asked.

"Reya hasn't shown herself for two years; and Rinoa hasn't been right in the head."  His face darkened, and he crouched down over his son.  "She took Sefrin; does that seem like something a sane person would do?"

Quistis pursed her lips.  A few days after Sefrin's birth, something inside Rinoa had seemed to snap.  She'd taken Sefrin, snatching him from his cradle and taking him to her room.  She'd returned him an hour later, saying she hadn't known why she'd done it and apologizing profusely.

Rinoa desperately wanted to find the sorceress and recover her children, and it had become an obsession, one that was consuming Rinoa, and slowly driving her mad…  If they could find Reya and destroy her once and for all…  If it was indeed Reya who was responsible.  It was possible Rinoa was creating a fantasy out of the T-Rexaur's death, making a fight-to-the-death and the subsequent ravaging by scavengers seem like a brutal slaying by a monster.

"I don't know if I believe her or not," Quistis confessed.  "I don't want to; but what if she's right?  I can't take that chance.  We'll see tonight, won't we?  It won't hurt to be on full alert; it could be the practice we sorely need, after all.  If nothing shows up tonight, then we'll know."

Seifer rested his hand on Quistis's arm.  "Nothing will show up," he said firmly.  "It was a T-Rexaur dominance battle, nothing more.  You'll see."

"I hope you're right," Quistis whispered, her gaze on her infant.  "I really hope you're right."

* * *

The halls were kept in shadow, to further bait the beast.  The students had been sent to bed early, with the excuse that the SeeDs were doing a drill and needed the hallways cleared.  The students weren't fooled.

Rinoa watched with Zell and a new SeeD named Devon.  She leaned against the wall of one dark corridor, eyes shut and mind open to the creature.  _Where is it?  _It was well after nightfall, and she hadn't felt anything.  Not the overspill of emotion caused by transformation, nor the bloodlust that flooded her own thoughts when the creature was hunting.  

She rested her hand on the butt of her gun, fingers lightly caressing the smooth metal.  After Reya's assault on her, she'd resolved to learn a new, more powerful weapon.  Most of the SeeD weapons required years of training to pick up, so she'd learned to use a pistol.  She was a fair shot, though nowhere near a marksman.  She hoped one day to kill Reya with it, to blow the woman's brains out and recover her children from whatever grisly fate the sorceress had planned for them

"Anything?" Zell asked, fidgeting impatiently.  Standing around and waiting wasn't his favorite thing to do.  He wanted action, not this skulking around in shadows.

Rinoa heaved a trembling sigh.  "N-nothing," she whispered.  "N-nothing at a-all…"

And perhaps that's all this new beast was; nothing but a fantasy concocted by a mad woman.  It seemed she really was losing it, after all.

* * *

Rinoa slunk into the cafeteria the next morning, exhausted but too depressed to get any sleep.  She'd been certain something would happen last night, but the creature hadn't put in an appearance.  Had she imagined the creature's transformation after all?

She slumped into a chair, rubbing her eyes wearily.  She should get a drink at least, she knew, but she didn't want to get up now that she'd taken a seat.  Maybe she should just go to bed after all…  but what if more dreams awaited her?

"You don't look so well, Rinoa.  Are you all right?"  Garen's concerned voice said from behind her.  Rinoa stifled a groan.  She did not feel like talking to anyone right now.

Garen was unaffected by her silence.  He sat beside her, looking closely at her face.  "I heard something was going on last night," he said quietly.  "Something that had the SeeDs all on alert.  Is that what's bothering you?  Is there some big emergency?"

Rinoa wondered how much to tell him.  He was still only a student, even if he was older than most of the others.  But… it might do some good to talk to someone.  "Last night…  No, there wasn't an emergency."  She was so exhausted, it was all she could do to keep the stutter from her voice.  "But it wasn't a drill, either.  It's my fault.  I thought there was something going on that wasn't…"  She studied her shaking hands, ignoring her companion.  "The others think I'm crazy," she finished.

Garen frowned.  "Are you?" he asked seriously.  "I've heard stories about you since I've arrived, but you seem pretty sane to me."

She snorted.  "You and Zell are the only ones who think that, then."

Garen gracefully stood from his chair and went around behind her.  "You aren't crazy; you've just been through a lot," he said softly.  His hands found the base of her neck, and she flinched from the touch.  "I'm not surprised if you are a little paranoid," he continued.  He began to knead his fingers on her neck, and she gasped at the touch.  It was unasked for, but…  soothing.  No one had touched her like this in a long time, and he seemed to know just how to rub the tension from her shoulders. "It'll get better with time; you'll see," he said.

_No, it won't, _she wanted to say.    Not with her body falling to pieces.  Not with her children in the hands of a madwoman.  Not with her mind slowly descending into madness…

But she decided not to think of that now, and lost herself in Garen's touch.  Maybe Zell was right; maybe she should get to know Garen better.  Maybe she should try to be happy while she still had the chance.

* * *

"Hello, Hannah!" Zell greeted with forced cheer. He collapsed into the chair next to her. "So, did you hear about the excitement last night?"

Hannah wrinkled her nose. "Unfortunately, yes.  There was a SeeD squad patrolling my corridor all night.  The sound of steel-tipped boots on tile makes for unpleasant sleeping conditions.  What was that all about, anyway?"

"Just a drill," Zell said evasively.

"Really…  It sounded more like a full alert.  They were armed out there.  Do you always carry weapons in a drill?"  Hannah looked skeptical.

"Uh," Zell couldn't think of a proper response.  "Sometimes."

"It was like you were trying to protect us from something," she continued.  

"I wouldn't want anything to happen to you!" Zell blurted without thinking.  He blushed.

Hannah arched an eyebrow.  "Oh?" she said, though her voice now had a teasing note.  "I'm perfectly capable of defending myself."

"Really," Zell purred, encouraged by her response to his clumsy confession. "I think you'd have a hard time fending me off." 

"Hmph," was all Hannah said. She was clearly unimpressed. "Maybe I don't want to fend you off," she added coyly.

Zell, who had been leaning closer to her over the table, nearly fell flat on his face. "Really? I…" He didn't know what to say. He could only sit and mumble incoherently, wondering how Irvine could charm so many women so easily. _Some guys have all the luck…_

Hannah watched him with amusement. She reached for her glass of milk, a sly grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"I could cram five hot dogs into that open mouth of yours," Hannah said suddenly. "I suggest you shut it before you start drooling. People are starting to stare."

Sheepishly, Zell snapped his mouth shut. He hadn't realized this girl had such an… obvious affect on him. But… did he want to get into a relationship with her? After being turned away by a woman who wouldn't go out with a cripple, he was wary of trying anything else. And who knew how long Hannah would be here? What if she wanted to return to Trabia?

He must have said that thought aloud because she suddenly leaned forward. "If I do, then why not make my stay one to remember?" she said.

Zell thought he was going to faint then and there. "Do you mean…?" he asked a little breathlessly. He'd known she was bold, but this…

She grinned savagely. "I need someone to help me study for my world history exam, which is still scheduled for later today. I could use some tutoring. And if I pass, I'll certainly remember today."

"Oh," Zell said. "Of course." _Stupid, what did you think she meant? She's only a student! She's barely younger than you are, but still…_

"I hope you don't mind, though, my roommate won't be there. She has class until late tonight. So it'll be just you and I." 

"That'll be… okay," Zell said weakly. He was going to be alone with her… 

"Would you look at that?" Hannah said suddenly, her biting tone cutting through Zell's thoughts.  He followed her gaze to where Garen was standing with his arms around… Rinoa?  "You'd think he'd have better taste!"

"What's wrong with Rinoa?" Zell said, suddenly defensive for his friend.  It seemed she was finally moving on with her life, and Zell didn't want anything to hurt that.

Hannah's mouth twisted unpleasantly.  "I… It's nothing you'd understand," she said finally.  _Odd…  there's something almost sad about her expression…  What's wrong with her, and what's it have to do with Rinoa?_

* * *

Rinoa went slowly to her room, her thoughts on the past half hour.  She hadn't expected to be so reluctant to leave Garen.  He'd been so gentle with her, so kind and understanding.  In him, she didn't see the pity and fear she inspired in others.  Instead, he accepted that she had been through more than any human had any right to, and realized that she was changed by her experiences.  Who wouldn't be mentally scarred after all this?

And what was more, he seemed to want to help her heal.  As his deft fingers had wound their way down her back, rubbing away the tension that had been there for so long, he'd spoken to her soothingly, asking simple questions about nothing in particular, drawing her attention away from what had disturbed her for so long.  For the first time in what seemed years, she'd been able to relax.  And as her tension eased, her stutter had seemed to fade away.  Even the pain inside her had diminished under his soothing touch, and she'd groaned in delight.   Why had she denied herself this for so long?  Zell was right; this was better for her than anything the doctors had done!

When Garen had announced he'd had to get to class, she hadn't wanted him to go.  She could see from his gaze that he wished he could stay with her, but he'd gotten to his feet and sternly admonished her to get some sleep.  But his hand on her shoulder had lingered, fingers lifting to softly caress her cheek before he vanished.

As she entered her small room, she felt the exhaustion wash over her.  But the good feeling Garen had left her with lingered, and she sprawled onto her bed with a smile.  She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, and this time her dreams were pleasant, of hands that lovingly caressed her, and a voice that drove the darkness away

*    *    *

This was a lot tougher than Zell had anticipated. He was sprawled on the floor of Hannah's shared room, while the younger girl leafed frantically through a history book for an answer. It was an obvious question; Zell was stunned that she didn't know it. Then again, Hannah hadn't known the answer to a lot of questions. It wasn't that she was stupid; once she learned her facts, she remembered them when asked later. It was more as if she'd never learned that history in the first place. _Ridiculous! Trabia schools all its students in the basics before sending them here for the SeeD exams._

"You're frustrated by me," Hannah said suddenly, slamming her book shut. She stared down at Zell from her spot on her bed, an apologetic look on her face. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't be wasting your time this way."

"It's all right! You just need to brush up on your basics, is all." Zell grinned up at her. "You act like it's been a couple of years since you've had history lessons."

Hannah's face paled, and she looked away. "Yeah... a couple of years."

Zell was immediately alerted by her shameful tone. "What's wrong?" He pushed himself to his knees, then drew himself onto the bed beside her. "You've never learned this stuff, have you?"

Hannah's breath hissed in her teeth. "Is it that obvious?" she asked.

"It is when you don't even know the names of the continents I'm referring to," Zell said.

"Damn." Hannah chewed her lip, tapping her fingers against the cover of the history book. "Garen said I was bad, but..." She frowned. "You're right; I'm totally ignorant. I was... sheltered, I guess you could say, while Garen was sent to Trabia to learn. I followed him. Our mother must be livid."

He hadn't known they weren't orphans. Now, he guessed they must come from a rich family, one who didn't think an education was worthwhile for a daughter being groomed only for marriage prospects. But that didn't explain her fighting talent... Perhaps her brother had trained her in private?

"Um, Zell?" Hannah's wry voice broke from Zell from his fantasy. "What do you think? Should I just... give up?"

"Never give up," Zell said. "Even if you fail, you can always retake the exam. If you do, I'll be able to help you better, with more time.  And by the time we're done, I'll bet you'll know enough to ace it."

She gave him a sweet smile, and Zell was suddenly struck by a strange thought. With her face softened, she looked a lot like Rinoa. Could he be attracted to her for that likeness?

Well, whatever the reason, he was determined to help Hannah however he could. Even if studying history for the next couple of hours while he was only half awake wasn't his ideal way of starting a romance.

* * *

Rinoa awoke around evening, when a horrifyingly familiar sensation ripped through her pleasant dreams.  She jerked upwards, her nerves on fire as if she had undergone the transformation herself.

_It was real.  _She'd felt it, for certain this time.  Rinoa rolled out of bed, landing heavily on her lame leg but the adrenaline surge had blocked out the pain.  It was here, in Garden, and she was going to find it if nobody else was!

She still wore her rumpled attire from the previous night, so she wasted no time grabbing her handgun and stealing into the hallway.  It was deserted, since most students were either in the common rooms or in their quarters by this time of night.  It also meant Quistis hadn't posted any patrols tonight.   _She's not taking this seriously!  Stupid…_

Rinoa had barely taken a few steps when she felt a prickling sensation between her shoulder blades.  It felt as if she were being watched… There was a blur of motion tearing itself from the shadows, a flash of claws that shredded the cloth of her T-shirt, then with a deafening howl, a huge black creature lunged past her, running on all fours down the halls. _It's here!_

She changed direction, whirling to follow the beast which fluidly vanished into shadows only to reappear in totally unexpected places. Its angular head would turn back, burning eyes meeting her own gaze, then it would increase its frantic pace and lead her further away.  It seemed to have an uncanny knack for avoiding stray students or instructors, who all turned to stare oddly at Rinoa as she sprinted past.

She followed the elusive shadow, occasional glimpses of light off tooth or claw her only way of locating it. The creature flitted from shadow to shadow, seeming to take no effort in hiding itself. It was also careful to stay away from populated areas. In fact, it seemed intent on leading her away from everything…

_It's drawing me away!  _She had to put an end to that, before she was out of reach of any assistance or she lost the creature completely.  Her concentration wasn't focused enough for a spell, so she had only one option. She raised the handgun, guessing the creature's location from the sound, and fired.

The creature let out a keening wail, then sprinted forward, no longer bothering to hide. It veered right, slamming its bulk into a large window and shattering the glass. It landed on the hard-packed earth below, seemingly unfazed by its fall. It rapidly vanished in the darkened plains. _Odd, _Rinoa thought as for a brief instant she glimpsed the creature clearly under the moonlight, _this one is more quadrupedal than Squall was…_

 She stopped by the shattered window, leaning over the frame and straining her eyes for a glimpse of the creature.  There was nothing out there, as if it had vanished.  Or never existed at all…

"What was that?"  A trio of armed SeeDs came around the bend, lead by Quistis.  The commander frowned when she saw Rinoa.  "What's going on?"

"I s-saw it!" Rinoa said.  "I-I chased it w-way f-from my r-room.  It _is _a w-werewolf!"

Quistis's face was grim as one of the SeeDs whispered something in her ear.  "Rinoa, you were spotted running armed through the lobby chasing _nothing._  You seem to be the only one who saw this werewolf.  If these delusions persist, I may have to take your weapons and have you confined."

"B-but… I saw it!  L-look, there's b-blood!"  Rinoa gestured to a small pool by her feet, where she had presumably hit the creature.  The commander's lips thinned.  

"You're the one bleeding, Rinoa," Quistis sighed.  She gestured towards Rinoa's forearm, where a deep cut sliced from wrist to the inside of her elbow.  She must have cut it leaning over the window without realizing it.   "Go see Dr. Kadowaki.  I'll be there in a few minutes.  We'll see what she can do for you."

Rinoa slumped.  _She means pills…  But I'm not crazy! Am I?_  She went to the doctor's office reluctantly, knowing it would do no good.  _I'm dying, but I may go insane first.  What can Kadowaki do for me?  Hyne, I need help, but not like this…_

What she needed was someone who believed in her.  Someone who wouldn't think she was insane, that she actually had seen a creature that had concealed itself from everyone else.  She needed someone like Zell on her side…  or Garen…

Quistis met her outside the door.  "I'm having a squad check, in case you really did see something," she said grudgingly.  But so far, they haven't found anything."

"I know w-what I saw," Rinoa said flatly.

"I know you believe you saw a werewolf," Quistis said softly.  "That's why I'm taking no chances.  I want to believe that you're fine, that you've been doing better these past few years, but I honestly don't know.  You've done things that make me question your sanity."

"S-sefrin," Rinoa sighed.

"Right.  I can't forget that.  It was the most agonizing hour of my life, wondering what had happened to my child.  But it did give me a feel for what you're going through.  That's why I've let this go for so long.  But when you start running around with a gun at night, you endanger the students.  I'm sorry, Rinoa, I've thought it over, and I need to disarm you."

Rinoa studied the tile beneath her feet.  "O-one m-more chance?" she pleaded.

"This _was_ your last chance.  And…  I'm going to find an Odine's bangle," Quistis continued, and Rinoa felt her heart sink.  

"No," she moaned.

"I know they hurt, but at least you won't be able to accidentally harm anyone.  Dr. Odine should be able to ship me one within the week."

"No…"  She'd be totally helpless!  No weapons, no magic…  Just a failing body and mind.

"I'm sorry," Quistis said again, sounding like she meant it.

_Helpless…  I'll be totally helpless if this thing shows up again!  If it really isn't just a figment of my imagination after all.  _Rinoa just didn't know any more.  And at this point, she didn't care.

To Be Continued…


	3. Dying Inside

Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the Final Fantasy VIII characters involved, though I do believe Hannah and Garen are mine.

Author's Note:  This was a difficult chapter to fix, what with so many changes in the first two chapters to compensate for.  But rewriting has been an interesting challenge, and this fic is now much closer to what I had originally envisioned it to be.  It's more gory, too, for which I apologize, if you don't like that sort of thing.  This isn't supposed to be a warm, fuzzy series.  And remind me to _never _do another story with a stuttering lead character again!

NIGHT HUNTERS

Part Three

Dying Inside

"Quistis, you can't do this."  Zell's voice was firm as he stared down his commander and friend.  He had his hands folded across his chest, and would have glared down at the woman if she hadn't been taller than he.

"I don't want to, Zell, but I have to."  There was a desperate note to her voice, as if Quistis was trying to convince herself.  "Rinoa is becoming more dangerous as time goes on.  This has to stop."

"She's not crazy," Zell said.

"I want so much to believe that," Quistis said.  "But she's not doing a lot to convince me of her sanity.  Running around at night with a gun - "

"An Odine's bangle is a little extreme, don't you think?" Zell cut her off.  "She hasn't used any magic in any irresponsible way, has she?  Hyne, you say you're doing this for her own good, but you may as well just lock her up in a mental hospital!  At least there she wouldn't have to worry about being betrayed by her friends!"

Quistis looked stung.  "Zell," she whispered.  "You don't understand...  I have the lives of the students to think of.  Rinoa is a friend, but I can't endanger them because of her hallucinations.  Try to understand, Zell!  The welfare of the students comes first!"

"I believe her," Zell said simply.

The commander's jaw clenched.  "Why?  You know as well as I do that there's no evidence - "

"The T-Rexaur," Zell said.  "The one supposedly killed in a mating battle.  It couldn't have been killed by another of its kind."

"Why?" Quistis asked.

"Because it was female.  I know it was too badly torn up to tell," Zell said hastily, "but its head was relatively untouched.  And there was a slash across its nostril where Hannah nailed it.  It was the female that we fought the other day.  And," he added, as Quistis opened her mouth to point out a flaw in the logic, "we didn't hurt it enough that it would wander off and die on its own.  T-Rexaurs would _never _kill a female during mating season.  Something else did."

"That's pretty poor evidence," Quistis said.

"I know.  But isn't it worth thinking about?  Please," Zell begged.  "Reconsider this!"

"I'm sorry, Zell," Quistis said miserably, "but my decision still stands."

*    *    *

"Rinoa?" a concerned voice echoed down the hall.  Rinoa turned, spotting Edea's graceful form coming towards her.  Rinoa smiled at the older woman, though the expression felt false.  She had no reason to smile.  "Shouldn't you be asleep?" Edea scolded gently.  "You were up all night."

The woman's concern touched Rinoa.  Unlike the sympathy from her friends, Edea's support was more motherly, and Rinoa felt as if she needed a mother more than anything.  It was no wonder she was so popular with the students; she provided the motherly support so many of them needed.  It was common for lonesome young students or even overwhelmed SeeDs to go to Edea when they felt down.  Rinoa herself had clung to Edea after her children were stolen and Raine had returned to Esthar.  She'd wondered at first how Edea managed to stay so warm and loving after the death of her husband, then had realized the children were all that kept her alive now.

"I'm all r-right," Rinoa sighed.  "I c-can't s-sleep anyway.  N-not w-with all th-this."

"I can't blame you," Edea admitted.  "This must hurt you terribly."

"Especially if th-this i-is the r-result of my b-babies b-being t-taken," Rinoa said flatly.

"So you think Reya's responsible."  Unlike Quistis and the others, she didn't sound as if she doubted Rinoa.  It seemed she had at least one other ally in Garden. 

"I d-don't d-doubt it," Rinoa said.  She paused for a moment to collect herself.  She wanted to speak to Edea more clearly  "It's... almost a relief.  For her to finally surface, I mean.  I was starting to worry we'd never hear from her."  She hesitated.  "Do you believe me?  Or do you think I'm mad, too?"

"It's hard to know what to believe," Edea admitted.  "You've been through so much that it's easy to believe you could have gone a little mad.  But you've never done anything that would harm anyone.  Even your taking of little Sefrin was just your mothering instinct; not a desire to hurt anyone.  No, Rinoa, I believe you, and that there is something going on.  I may no longer have any powers, but I've been a sorceress long enough to have become attuned to certain things.  And something around here feels... wrong, somehow."

"Then tell Quistis!  She respects you!  She'll believe you!  Don't let her fit an Odine's bangle on me!"

"I'll see what I can do, but I doubt she'll listen to me. She hasn't, in a while."  A sad expression crossed the older woman's face.  "Rinoa, if she does put the bangle on you, this will be very dangerous," Edea said.  "If you're right about all this, and Reya is indeed involved."

"I don't know if I can handle her.  Even without the bangle."  The confession was barely a whisper, and Rinoa wondered if Edea had even heard her.  "I...  I'm f-frightened of h-her."  Tears sprang to Rinoa's eyes, and she tried to fight them back.  No... she didn't want to cry!

"Oh, Rinoa."  Edea took the younger woman in her arms.  "No one expects you to face her without fear.  That would be foolish.  But you won't be alone.  In face," an odd look crossed Edea's face, "help is on the way."

Rinoa pulled free of the woman's comforting embrace.  "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Your friends will be beside you," was all Edea said.

"Like Q-quistis is?" Rinoa said dully, and began to limp away.

"Wait," Edea said, lightly touching her shoulder.  Rinoa paused.  "It's been two years…  I know I wasn't here for you on their birthday, and I'm sorry.  I know it's difficult for you."

Rinoa felt a twinge of pain in her abdomen that was either a remnant of her last hemorrhage or a phantom pain at the memory. "Don't w-worry about it.  I s-survived another y-year." She was embarrassed to hear her stutter return, but Edea didn't seem to mind. "I d-don't think I'll ever get over it, but I'm h-handling it b-better."  Better, yes… but that didn't mean she wasn't dying inside.  "Th-thanks for your c-concern."  Rinoa turned from Edea, determined to hide the fresh tears in her eyes.  "I'm off to b-bed n-now," she said softly.  "I'll s-see you l-later."

"I _will _see you," Edea said firmly.  "You're not going to carelessly throw your life away, no matter how tempting death may be."

Rinoa's shoulders stiffened.  "What do you mean?" she asked without turning back.

"I recognize suicide when I see it.  You're going to kill this thing, even if it costs you your life, right?"

Rinoa couldn't respond to this.  Her shoulders slumped.  _She's right…_

"Don't do it.  You have a lot to live for, even if you don't realize it."  Edea's voice was stern, but Rinoa could hear real grief behind it.  "Please… be careful.  Promise me you won't do anything suicidal."

Rinoa remained silent for a moment, thinking.  Then, "I promise," she said in a resigned voice.

"Thank you," Edea said, relieved.

_I promise…  Some promises are made to be broken, _Rinoa thought as she shuffled onward.  _After all, Squall isn't waiting for me…_

She stopped when she reached the site of her encounter with the beast.  The broken window hadn't been tended to yet, and a few glass shards were scattered across the floor.   It gave her a chance to investigate.  She stepped over the rope blockade, entering the area.  She stopped by the pool of drying blood where she had hit the creature.  It couldn't be her own blood; she hadn't been injured enough to lose this much!

_I won't seek death, _she thought, _but I won't hide from it, either.  _Stooping down, she examined the pool of blood, as if it would yield an answer.  As she lowered her gaze, her attention was caught by the benches lining the walls - or rather, an object resting between the legs.  She went over to it curiously, and carefully drew it out.

It was a toe; a canine's toe with over an inch of razor sharp claw.  Rinoa's eyes narrowed.  She had done more than hurt the creature; she now had proof it existed, and a real possibility of finding it!  _ Now I know what I saw, and that I'm right... And, I know it isn't _me _that's the creature..._  Now, she just had to find out who was missing a finger or toe before they healed.

*    *    *

Quistis was sleeping, along with Sefrin, when Rinoa arrived at her quarters, but Seifer was free to talk to her.  He looked wary, but at least he was willing to listen. He beckoned for Rinoa to be seated.  There were a few large apartments in Garden, and Quistis and her family had been given the largest.  Rinoa tried not to think that this room should have been home to she and Squall and their children.

"Can I help?" Seifer asked in a faintly sardonic tone, collapsing onto an easy chair, and languidly arranging his body.  _Still a showoff, _Rinoa thought affectionately.  _Though he has mellowed a lot.  _She smiled faintly as she remembered their summer together, back when she'd been young and innocent, and Seifer had been arrogant and sharp-tongued, but basically a good man.  

"I h-have  p-p-proof!" Rinoa blurted out.  She pulled out the handkerchief she'd wrapped the claw in from her pocket, loosing the knot to show him.  "The w-werewolf l-lost a f-finger or t-toe," she said.

Seifer poked at the claw.  "It looks like a dog's toe," he said skeptically.  "Rinoa, did you shoot a dog last night?"  At her fierce look, he added, "Shouldn't it have turned back into a human digit, anyway?  Like in the movies?"

"That would be t-too c-convenient," Rinoa sighed.  "B-but at l-least we know it's m-missing s-something.  I c-can a-ask the instructors to w-watch for s-students who m-may be f-favoring their f-feet or m-missing f-fingers."  She scowled.  "It's n-not m-much, but it c-could p-prove I'm n-not c-crazy."

"I'll tell Quistis," Seifer said, rolling the claw back into the square of cloth and handing it back to Rinoa.  "Meanwhile, you could take that to Dr. Kadowaki - maybe she could send it to Esthar for a DNA test or something."

Rinoa hadn't even thought of that.  "G-good idea."  She rose to her feet, and Seifer did the same to show her out.  He hadn't dismissed her theory; he'd even provided advice!  There was a chance after all...  At the door, she paused.  "I n-never d-did c-c-congratulate you," she said softly.

Seifer blinked quizzically.  "For what?"

"For your m-marriage… for S-sefrin…  for f-finding h-h-happiness," Rinoa faltered.  "I'm s-sorry.  I'm j-jealous of you, and I sh-shouldn't be.  A-and what I d-did w-was unacceptable.  I d-don't know wh-why..."

"Hey, we don't hold it against you," Seifer said.  His voice had lost its arrogant edge, and he sounded as if he actually meant it.  "You've been through a lot.  But... thanks for the congratulations."  His face softened.  "I'm proud, anyway.  Sefrin's a good baby."

"E-even if h-he isn't b-blond?" Rinoa teased.  The entire Garden had been amused that blond Quistis and Seifer had produced a dark-haired child.  There was some speculation as to whether Irvine was the real father…  Seifer accepted all this with wry amusement.

"Nobody's perfect," he said.

Rinoa laughed as she exited the apartment, though the sound almost became a strangled sob when she was out of earshot.  Seifer was so much like Squall…  Would Squall have warmed up the same way?

It didn't matter now.  She had said her apologies to Seifer and cleared her conscious.  For all the good that did her.  Now, it was off to Dr. Kadowaki's.

*    *    *

"Well?" Zell asked impatiently.  Hannah stared at him solemnly for a moment, and then smiled.  "I passed!  Barely, but..." she shrugged.  She had just come out of her history class, and Zell had met her outside the door.

"That's great!" Zell said with a strained smile.

"What's wrong?" Her delight faded at his expression.

"It's...  a friend of mine."  Knowing Hannah's dislike for Rinoa, he didn't really want to bring his concerns for her up around the younger girl.  "Things are going badly for her."

"You mean Rinoa, don't you?" Hannah said softly.  Her face carefully expressionless.  "I heard about last night.  And about the Odine's bangle.  That's awful," she said.  "Having something like that happen, on top of everything else that's occurred here...  I may not like the woman, but I have some sympathy for her.  I hear those bangles are pretty awful."

"Why don't you like her?" Zell asked suddenly.  It had been driving him crazy since Hannah and Rinoa's first meeting.  Was it just a clash of personalities?    But how?  They'd barely even spoken enough for such a thing to occur!

"I... I don't know," Hannah said, seeming surprised by the turn in the conversation.  "Maybe I'm just worried about being in the same building as a woman being referred to as the 'mad sorceress.'"

"She isn't," Zell said.  He was getting tired of defending Rinoa to everyone.  Was he the only one who believed her?  Poor Rinoa... 

"Then you believe there's another werewolf on the loose," Hannah said flatly.  "I don't find that reassuring."  She ran a gloved hand through her long, dark hair, a nervous gesture he was becoming familiar with.  It meant she was uncomfortable with the subject.  Almost automatically, with a SeeD's skill of observation, he noticed that one gloved finger didn't bend, as if it were... empty?  He hadn't noticed she was missing a finger.  _So much for a SeeD's skill of observation!_

"I don't know what I believe," Zell said after a moment.  "Rinoa isn't the kind of person to make something like this up."  Not anymore, anyway.  When he'd first met her, she'd been a dreamer, one with a fantastic vision of the world.  But her dreams had been crushed, her naive innocence torn away from her.

"Zell," Hannah said, "could we talk about something else?  This is making me really uncomfortable."

"Sure," Zell said agreeably.  As he walked down the halls with Hannah, chatting with her about classes, he couldn't get Hannah's reaction to Rinoa out of his head.  Just why did she hate Rinoa so much, anyway?

*    *    *

As she left Dr. Kadowaki's office, Rinoa regarded the bottle of pills she'd been given with a disgusted look.  Medication...  as if that would make all her problems go away.  The doctor had said the pills had a "calming effect" that Rinoa would find soothing.  In other words, they were tranquilizers.  Just what she needed; for her erratic senses to be further screwed up by drugs.  She considered tossing the pills in the first trash bin she came to, but with her luck, she'd get caught.

What was she going to do?  Quistis was keeping a careful eye on her now.  Rinoa was surprised she hadn't been issued a guard yet.  If she stepped out of line again, though, she knew she'd get more than someone watching her.  The thought of being locked away made Rinoa shudder.  _She wouldn't go that far...  would she?  It's like I don't know Quistis anymore.  She's changed since she's married Seifer. No; before that.  Ever since Squall attacked her, she hasn't been the same.  And she's taking it out on me because I couldn't stop him...  _

A wave of weakness made her stagger.  She leaned against the wall, silently cursing herself.  She'd been exerting herself far too much the past few days.  On top of the hemorrhage, the stress was draining her energy.  Rest... she needed to rest.

"Rinoa?  Are you all right?"  Garen's concerned voice came from behind her.  Rinoa couldn't decide if it was welcome or not.

"I'm j-just t-tired," she sighed, unable to even make the effort to hide her stutter.  She turned to meet the younger man's gaze, and was warmed by the caring expression on his face.  He came up to her and offered his shoulder, which she hesitantly took.

"I heard what Commander Trepe is planning.  It's not fair," he said.  Rinoa leaned against him, suddenly wanting the comfort of another human being.  Garen responded by wrapping his arm around her shoulders and guiding her to the nearest bench.

"I-I c-c-can't b-b-believe she w-won't t-take m-m s-s-seriously," Rinoa said, and was horrified to hear a sob in her voice.  "Sh-she almost d-d-did, w-when the T-T-Rexaur c-came up d-dead, b-b-but..."  Tears began to pour down her face.

"Shh," Garen said, pulling her head to his chest.  "It's all right.  You'll see.  Commander Trepe will see that's she's wrong about you, and she'll forget all about this.  Of course, if you are right and there _is _a threat to Garden, that isn't a good thing," he said dryly, and Rinoa almost smiled.  Almost.  "And, if she continues to treat you badly, you could..." Garen faltered.  "Well, you could leave."

_Leave?  _The thought honestly hadn't occurred to Rinoa.  Leave her home?  Where would she go?  She had nowhere else!  True, the Caraway Mansion still stood empty, but there was no way she could ever return to it.  And Timber no longer held anything for her.  Watts and Zone had thrown in their lot with the white SeeDs, and they hadn't really seen her as more than a figurehead for their group, anyway.  It was possible Raine would take her in, but did she want to live in cold, technological Esthar with its fear of sorceresses?  "I-I c-can't.  This is m-my h-home..." she said helplessly.

Garen cupped her chin in his hand.  "Do you know what they say, Rinoa?  You can never go home again."

_How true that is, _Rinoa thought.  The last place she'd truly felt safe... truly at _home, _was in Squall's arms.

She didn't have time for any more of her sad reflection, however, because suddenly Garen pressed his mouth to hers, and rather than pull away, she let him kiss her.  Maybe Garden wasn't the best place for her anymore, but there were some things that made staying worthwhile.

*    *    *

Rae laughed throatily as Sango slid his rough palm along her exposed thigh.  "I love these uniforms," he murmured into her ear as he lifted the edge of her short skirt.  "They leave nothing to the imagination."

She laughed again and playfully slapped his hand away.  "We're on a mission," she reminded him, her voice husky.  "And Nara won't approve of us slacking off on our duties."

Sango snorted.  "Since when have you counted a few cadets on a practice patrol a 'mission'?" he said derisively.  "And Nara needs to remove that rod from her ass anyway.  Let's show her how to have a little fun."  He gave an evil chuckle at the thought of how the other girl would react upon walking in on them.  "Besides, she went all the way back to the beach; she won't be back for half an hour."

This time, Rae permitted his touches as he slid his hands along her cadet jacket, unfastening the yellow scarf, then undoing the buttons to the blouse beneath.  Rae wriggled out of the jacket, her hands helping Sango's as he pulled free her blouse, exposing her abdomen.  She groaned and leaned back onto her sleeping bag as he pushed his hands under her bra and cupped her breasts.  He leaned forward, nuzzling her neck, and she threw her head back against the pillow, taking in the sight of the full moon against the star-filled sky...

And a dark object that stood outside her vision, vanishing before she could focus on it.  "What was that?" she asked thickly.

"Wha-?" Sango asked, too deeply lost in his lust to speak straight.  One hand fumbled for the fastenings on his pants.

There was a rustling from behind, and Sango lifted his head.  "Nara," he said, "you have a lousy sense of timing - "  He never finished his sentence.  With a wet cracking noise, his head was yanked backwards and torn loose from his body.  The bloody torso wobbled for a moment, then was pushed forward onto Rae's horrified face.  She screamed as hot blood splattered across her bare chest

She scrambled backwards as the body was tossed aside, revealing a creature out of nightmares.   Gleaming teeth and eyes that burned were all she could make out, but they were enough.  Another scream ripped from her throat and she twisted her body sideways as a hand equipped with massive claws slashed downward.  It caught her pleated skirt, and the last of her clothing tore free.

Rae managed to get her feet under her and she began to run.  She didn't look back to where the nightmare was watching her with what could be interpreted as an amused look.  She saw only the dark forest several yards in front of her, heard only the beating of her heart as she ran for her life.  If she could reach the forest, perhaps she could lose it...

When the second beast reared out of the shadows in front of her, Rae skidded to a halt and fell backwards onto her rump.  She tried to get back to her feet, but with a move too fast for her eyes to follow, the second beast lashed its paw towards her, ripping her body along her abdomen and exposing her intestines.  She was too lost in her fear to yet realize what had happened, and adrenaline had blunted the pain.  She rolled onto all fours, dimly wondering where the bloody mud underneath her had come from.

The second beast was joined by the first, and it leaned under her and grabbed a coil of intestine, yanking a length of it free from her body.  Now Rae felt the pain... Now she knew she'd been seriously hurt!  

But there was nothing she could do as she slumped down into the pool of dirt and blood, her vision dimming as the first, larger beast with the glowing eyes casually ran its tongue along her thigh, a cruel mockery of Sango's intimate caress.  Then it sank its teeth into her flesh, ripping away a great, bleeding chunk.

Before her vision faded completely, she saw what was almost a look of pity on the second beast's face as it watched her die.  It was no consolation.

*    *    *

She couldn't wake up.  Rinoa's body thrashed, but she couldn't escape the violence of her nightmare.  Even after the creatures finished feeding, she still dreamed, seeing over and over again the deaths of the young cadets.  Her mind tried to fight free, but she was too lost in the ecstasy of the blood that made her feel more alive than she had in a long time.

_No!  This isn't me! _a tiny part of her tried to say as her mind replayed the deaths again, from the point of view of the first hunter.  _I don't want the blood... the pain...  I need it... No!  Please!  Stop!  I'm not... I'm not..._

_Am I?_

At last, her mind was released from the grisly horror, and she felt a sense of loss.  _More...  Don't leave me...  _Her eyes opened to her dim room, already filling with the dawn's light.  Her body ached, as if it had been under stress, and a groan burbled through her lips.  But at least she hadn't hemorrhaged again; she would have felt that.

Rinoa forced her hurting body into a stretch, but she froze as her fingers hit something smooth and hard lying on the sheets next to her.  _Hyne, what now?  _She gripped the object and brought it to her face, examining it in the dim light.

It was a bone, a human femur like she'd seen in her anatomy classes.  The smooth shaft was riddled with holes, as if something had been gnawing on it.  Rinoa couldn't breathe as she turned and saw more bones littering her covers, an almost complete human skeleton.  She couldn't even find her breath to scream.

To Be Continued...


	4. Beast Unbound

Disclaimer:  All characters from FFVIII belong to Squaresoft.  No attempt is being made to profit from their use.

Author's Note:  This isn't the true chapter, in case anyone stumbles upon this accidentally.  I've only placed it because of ff.net's new policy to no longer allow a chapter that includes messages or notes or the like.  I suggest ignoring this for now.

NIGHT HUNTERS

Part Four

Beast Unbound

The blood-stained bones fell away with a clatter as Rinoa scrambled to get out of bed.  Her body protested the rapid movements that strained her muscles, but the horror of the situation overcame the pain.

They were all that remained of the students she'd dreamt of, she knew with a dread certainty.  The students had been mutilated by not one, but two werewolves…

Rinoa stumbled backwards, away from her bed and the pile of picked-clean bones, until her hunched back was against the wall.  _No… Hyne, not this!  Please!_  The gorge rose in her throat, and she vomited blood and chunks of meat and bone.  _I didn't!  I only dreamt it!  It was a dream!_  

She had to tell Quistis, there was no question of that.  Here was the proof she needed.  Even though it would mean imprisonment for her – or death – she had to tell the commander.  She would willingly end her own life if it meant an end to all this.

Tears flowed down her cheeks.  Her worst fears were being realized, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.  Despite her determination to report this to Quistis right away, Rinoa found herself sliding down the wall, pulling her body into a painful fetal position.  She couldn't stop the sobs that racked her body, nor rid herself of the nauseating taste of flesh in her mouth.  _Not this way.  I want death, but not this way!  Not this way!_

*    *    *

"You don't look so well," Zell told Hannah when they went to breakfast that morning.  Garen was eating with them as well, though he was so withdrawn it was as if he weren't there.

"It's just a headache.  I didn't sleep so well."  Hannah eyed the hot dogs on her plate, and her ashen face twisted into a frown.  "I guess I'm nauseous, too.  This just doesn't look appetizing at the moment."

Garen was eating slowly, as if he, too, wasn't hungry.  Neither had had a good night, apparently. "Eat up," Garen advised.  "You need your strength."

"Right," Hannah said listlessly.  She took a bite of one limp hot dog, and Zell suddenly felt guilty for scarfing down his own only moments before.  _Probably didn't do much to help her appetite, watching me make a pig out of myself!_

Garen grunted and said nothing else.  Hannah poked at her food a few more minutes, then said apologetically, "Maybe I should just go to bed.  I'm not feeling well, and if classes are canceled, I want to get a nap."  She pushed back her plate and stood up.  Garen mirrored her movements.

"See ya!" Zell said as they walked away.  He eyed the two vacated plates, then shrugged.  "More for me," Zell mumbled, enthusiastically digging in to Hannah's food.

They'd only been gone for a moment before Irvine and Selphie took their vacated seats.  Irvine eyed the rapidly emptying plates in front of Zell and arched a sardonic brow.  "Damn," he said.  "No wonder there weren't any left.  Trying to break your old record?"

Zell ignored his friend's teasing.  He set down the hot dog he'd been devouring and met his friends' gazes.  "What do you think of all this?" he asked bluntly.

Irvine frowned.  "What do you mean?"

Zell waved his hands irritably.  "I mean what Quistis is doing to Rinoa.  She's been through too much already; I think Quistis is overdoing it."

Selphie's normally vibrant face was serious.  "I don't think it's right…  but what if Quistis is correct, and Rinoa is going mad?  She's been through a lot, you know."

"She hasn't been herself since… well, since before those kids of hers were even born," Irvine added.

"So you think she's a danger?" Zell bristled.  "Irvine, Selphie, she's our friend!  She deserves the benefit of the doubt!"

"Are you sure?  Zell, when was the last time you were around her for more than a few minutes?  She's been acting very strangely lately, and the students are terrified of her," Irvine said flatly.  

Zell opened his mouth to argue, then thought over what Irvine had just said.  He _hadn't_ spent much time with Rinoa lately; he'd been too preoccupied with Hannah.  Was there more to Rinoa's attitude that was making the others wary of her that he'd been to oblivious to notice?

Was she mad, after all?

Or worse?

"What if she hurts someone?" Irvine continued.

"_I_ don't think she would," Selphie said hurriedly.  "I think she's the one who'll get hurt.  She needs to be protected."

_Protected?_  Zell knew Rinoa well enough to know she would hate that.  And he didn't think she'd see it that way, either.  But before he could protest, the intercom in the cafeteria chimed.

"Would Irvine, Selphie, and Zell please report to the commander's office right away?" Quistis's voice came.  "Repeat:  Would Irvine, Selphie, and Zell please report to the commander's office right away?"

"Wonder what that's about?" Irvine said as he rose to his feet, Selphie moments behind him.  Zell stood, pushing aside the final plate of hot dogs.  He'd lost his appetite, anyway.

*    *    *

*    *    *

It padded forward on silent feet, its keen eyes following the patrols before creeping down the vacated hallways.  _This is easy... too easy.  Garden doesn't have a chance.  _It arched its tail and its steps quickened as it recognized the wing that housed the officers' quarters.

The door it sought was closed, but a quick application of its weight was enough to pry the locked door open.  The metal groaned in protest, and the creature froze, ears turning sharply to pick up the slightest sound.

Nothing.  Teeth glinted as the creature's jaw gaped in a smile.  So the occupant was sound asleep... It crept inside, passing the main room and into the small bedroom, where a dark form was softly snoring on the bed.

Soundlessly, the creature turned its head toward the cradle at the foot of the bed.  Delicately, it grasped the infant in its jaws, then whirled and fled the room.

By the time the baby screamed, the creature was already far from the commander's room.


End file.
